Receptacle



Oct. 17, 1944. c. A. KYQHNE 2,360,351

RECEPTACALE Filed April24, 1945 I, l Il MMIII;

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.VL M .f E 9 lNvENToR /Clarmcz A. Kulnm Patented Oct. 17, 14944 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE'.v

RECEPTACLE Clarence'A. Kuhne, Baltimore, Md.

Application April 24, 1943, Serial No. 484,339

(Grantedunder'the act of March-3, 1883,` as a amendedrApril-.SOg 1928;l 370 O. G. 757) 2vr Claims;

The invention describedh'ereinmay be manufactured and used by or for the kG'overnmentior governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention pertains to a novel receptacle or container designed to be carried at times by hand.

In military operations, it is customary to load certain essential materials, such as ammunition and medical supplies in comparatively small containers. In rapid movements such containers can readily be carried by hand.

The principal object of the invention is to provide such a receptacle having a lid that is readily and automatically latched on pulling the handle and which remains latched even though the individual may stumble while carrying the receptacle, so long as he does not lose his hold on the handle. v

In the accomplishment of this object, the receptacle is provided with a hinged cover having a bail handle pivotally mounted thereon. On the sides of the body of the receptacle are mounted a pair of resilient guide rails engageably respectively by the ends of the handle, when the cover is closed and the bail lifted upwardly, The upward movement of the bail is limited by the reception of the handle extremities in seats formed in the rails, and by this means the cover is latched resiliently in the closed position. In order to unlatch the cover by dropping the bail, it is necessary to overcome the tension by which the ends of Vthe handle are held in the seat of the resilient rails. Thus, the cover remains latched while the receptacle is carried or dragged by the bail, as well as when the individual falls or stumbles, provided only that he does not push the bail downwardly against the cover,

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, and

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

The body of the receptacle is designated by the numeral I and has its access opening 2 in the top. To one edge of the opening is attached a cover 3 by hinges 4. The cover preferably has a marginal ange 5 to t over the body I.

Near the upper or o-pen end of the body, two of the walls at opposite sides of the hinge are lformed with outwardly extending protuberances or extrusions 6. To these members, at each side of the box.' are welded or otherwise secured guide members 'I for a purpose that will presently be described. The extrusions hold the guide members spaced 'from the major planes of the respective side walls.

Each guide member I includes a horizontal body portion 8 from one end of which extends a curved guide piece or rail 9. Near its free end, this piece curves upwardly or towards the open end 2, as indicated by the numeral I0, thereby forming a seat II positioned to be entered from the lower edge of the rail member. Pressure in the seat and along the adjacent portion of the rail is yieldably resisted by the tension of the rail resulting from the spacing of the bend II) from the body part 8 and the distance of the seat II from the juncture of the portions 8 and 9 A lug I2 extends downwardly from the portion 8 towards the bend I0 to limit the movement of the rail 9 under the influence of upward pressure.

A heavy wire handle is rotatably supported across the upper surface of the cover 3 by a pair of straps I3 welded or otherwise secured upon the cover. The handle includes a bail I4 and a pair of journals I5 lying upon the cover and held within the straps. An arm I6 extends from each journal I5 downwardly across the adjacent guide member 'I and has its free extremity directed at II inwardly towards the body I and finally formed with a follower I8 which may consist of a roller or a welded ring on the extremity.

When the lid or cover is brought down, the bail I4 of the handle may be swung upward or to a position approximately perpendicular to the plane of the cover. A partly elevated position is shown in broken lines in Figure 1. The parts are so dimensioned that, in this operation, the followers I8 ride along the lower edges of the rails 9 and are stopped and received in the seats II. The tension at the seats, produced in the manner previously described, holds the cover A down and the bail in the perpendicular position. Thus, if the container is carried or dragged by the bail, the lifting or pulling force on the bail holds the cover latched. This is true even if the individual stumbles, provided that he retains his grasp on the bail. This consideration is of great importance in military operations where the container may carry essential materials such as ammunition or medical supplies, for which it is expressly intended. To release the cover, the bail I4 is swung towards the forward or swinging edge of the cover whereupon the followers I8 are moved out of their seats I I and ol the rails 9.

A rib 20 is struck out of each side wall of the body I, directly beneath the forward end of the corresponding guide body 8. Each rib ts in a suitable channel bracket 2| which may be secured to a vehicle or other support. The brackets project beneath the corresponding members 8 to be engaged thereby and thus support the container or limit its downward movement in the brackets.

Although a specic embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a receptacle having a hinged cover, a handle having a swivel mounting on said cover and extending outwardly therefrom, brackets on opposite sides of the receptacle, each bracket including a body portion and a resiliently operating rail extending therefrom, said rail having its free end spaced from said portion, said free end being formed with a seat which opens away from said portion, arms extending from said handle across said brackets, each arm having a free extremity positionedl to ride along a rail and enter the seat therein on swinging said handle outwardly from the closed cover, and a stop lug extending from said body portion toward said seat. v

2. In a receptacle having a hinged cover, a handle having a swivel mounting on said cover and extending outwardly therefrom, brackets on opposite sides of the receptacle, each bracket including a body portion and a downwardly curved resiliently operating rail extending therefrom, said rail having its free end spaced from said portion, said free end being formed with a seat which opens away from said portion, arms extending from said handle across said brackets, each arm having a free extremity adapted to ride along a rail and enter the seat therein on swinging said handle outwardly from the closed cover, and a stop lug extending from said body portion towards said seat.

CLARENCE' A. KUHNE. 

